One of the goals I am working on at work, is a revitalization of our use of Team Foundation server, starting with a new project that I am leading. While we have always used TFS, I do not think that we are taking full advantage of its features. Part of the reason I think, is because there is so much good information that you really have to take some time to understand what it’s telling you.
In the past week, I re-discovered the Process Guidance section of the Share Point site which is created when you create a new TFS project. I have been going thru each tab and sub section trying to gain a better understanding for how to use, and interpret the data.
One particular section that I have over looked in the past, is the Index tab. As it sounds, the index tab displays a list of all the topics covered in the process guidance (and then some), broken down by group (Workstreams, Activities, Work Items, Work Products, Reports, Queries and How To’s). I have been looking into the CMMI template, so you may not have all of what is listed below.
Workstreams
From the process guidance: “Workstreams are groups of activities that flow logically together and are often associated with a particular role.”
Activities
Activities are the specific individual activities that make up a workstream.
Work Items
From the process guidance: “A work item is a database record which Visual Studio Team Foundation uses to track the assignment and state of work. The MSF for CMMI Process Improvement process defines seven work items to assign and track work. These seven work items are task, change request, risk, review, requirements, bug, and issue.”
Work Products
From the process guidance: “Work products are files, documents, specifications, binaries, parts, and other tangible items that are necessary to complete activities and build the product. Many times the creation of one work product is dependent on the completion of another work product.”
Most of the definitions given here, relate to the document templates which are created with each new SharePoint site. For the CMMI template, you need to click on Documents from the quick launch menu, then general documents to find the templates.
Reports
From the process guidance: “Project health charts aggregate metrics from work items, source control, test results, and builds. They answer questions about the actual state of your project at many scales: for the days within an iteration, iterations within a project, or projects with in a program. The questions are also relevant for many kinds of work items such as scenarios, quality of service requirements, tasks, and bugs.”
Each report gets a description, as well as healthy and unhealthy examples. This is great reading material for management to help them to understand how they can take advantage of TFS (It’s not just for developers).
Queries
This index lists the pre-defined queries and that they are designed to show. Again, a good way to show management how they can keep an eye on the project without relying exclusively on MS Project (it’s not a bad tool, but it’s not the only tool).
How To’s
From the process guidance: “How To’s present information on how to accomplish tasks related to activities and workstreams”
There are 8 how to’s that cover enough to get you started with the template. I wish they had more how to’s and examples, and even a complete project walk thru, but I guess they needed to leave something for partners and book writers.
Speaking of books, I am currently reading Software Engineering with Microsoft Visual Studio Team System, which is a book on how to use TFS in the context of Project Management. I have also seen this book, Visual Studio Team System: Better Software Development for Agile Teams, which looks very interesting as it has a book length case study. Unfortunately I can really only read 1 book at a time, but I think I will defiantly be looking to buy this book soon.
Look for more posts of TFS and possibly project management in the future.